The swish of a skirt seemed ridiculously loud in the hush, and the scratching of the judge's quill pen was noisily irritating.
"My name in Ireland was James Shiel Gathorne Crozier, commonly called Shiel Crozier," came the even reply from the witness-box.
"James Shiel Gathorne Crozier in Ireland, but James Gathorne Kerry here!" Burlingame turned to the jury significantly.

"What other name have you been known by in or out of Ireland ?" he added sharply to Crozier.

"No other name so far as I know." "No other name so far as you know," repeated the lawyer in a sarcastic tone intended to impress the court.
"Who was your father ?" "John Gathorne Crozier." "Any title ?" "He was a baronet." "What was his business ?" "He had no profession, though he had business, of course." "Ah, he lived by his wits ?" "No, he was not a lawyer! I have said he had no profession.

He lived on his money on his estate." The judge waved down the laughter at Burlingame's expense.
"In official documents what was his description ?" snarled Burlingame.
"'Gentleman' was his designation in official documents." "You, then, were the son of a gentleman ?" There was a hateful suggestion in the tone.
"I was." "A legitimate son ?" Nothing in Crozier's face showed what he felt, except his eyes, and they had a look in them which might well have made his questioner shrink.

He turned calmly to the judge.
"Your honour, does this bear upon the case?
Must I answer this legal libertine ?" At the word libertine, the judge, the whole court, and the audience started; but it was presently clear the witness meant that the questioner was abusing his legal privileges, though the people present interpreted it another way, and quite rightly.
The reply of the judge was in favour of the lawyer.